Jakarta: Former international footballer Mario Pineda, 33, was shot dead in an armed attack in the city of Guayaquil. Police said another person was killed in the same incident, while a third was injured. Ecuador's Ministry of the Interior confirmed Pineda's death without providing further details.
According to Bahrain News Agency, Barcelona de Guayaquil, where Pineda played for several seasons, mourned the former player, who also made eight appearances for the Ecuador national team, most recently at the 2021 Copa Am©rica. Local media reported that the shooting took place in the Samanes district in northern Guayaquil.
The killing comes as Ecuador faces a surge in violence linked to organised crime, with more than 9,000 homicides recorded so far this year.